Jughead's Revenge

After ten years, six albums and a raft of seven-inches and compilation contributions, the archetypal L.A. misfits still know how to rock like nobody's business. Pearly Gates, their seventh full-length release, proves exactly why this quartet is hailed one of the originators of the SoCal pop-punk sound that has been appropriated by so many other bands. The new record features 13 new original tracks that explore the many musical and lyrical sides of the scene they helped create. They even throw in a twangy, surf-side instrumental to further celebrate their roots. They also get bonus points for a strangely reverent, tempo-matching, note-for-note cover of the Cars' “Just What I Needed.” And the cover art that features a rendering of a punk rock retirement home circa 2025 complete with a wrinkled Milo Aukerman figure lurking in the background.